Parking on a hill can be intimidating. If your car\u2019s brakes fail for whatever reason, your car will roll down the hill. To prevent your vehicle from moving once it\u2019s parked, you\u2019ll need to know how to correctly park on a hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uphill and downhill parking are two different techniques you can use to keep your car in place if the brakes fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you start to turn the wheel and park, you need to know if you\u2019re parking uphill with a curb or without a curb. If you\u2019re parking uphill with a curb, turn the wheels away from the curb. If your car begins to roll backward, the front wheels will likely hit the curb and prevent your car from moving any further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re parking uphill and there is no curb to prevent your car from rolling, the best thing to do is to position your vehicle so it doesn\u2019t roll toward the center of the road by turning your wheels toward the right side of the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similar to parking uphill, you can also park downhill with or without a curb. If you\u2019re parking downhill and there is a curb, turn your car\u2019s wheels toward the curb. In the event the parking brake fails, your vehicle won\u2019t roll too far before the curb blocks the wheels and the car stops moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When there\u2019s no curb and you\u2019re parking downhill, make sure your wheels are pointing toward the right side of the road. If the parking brake fails, your car will travel away from the street instead of colliding with traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you need to park on a hill, make sure you take the necessary precautions to keep yourself and everyone else safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below we\u2019ve created a checklist of the 6 most essential things you need to take into consideration as you attempt to correctly park on a hill, whether it\u2019s for your driving test or another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parking your vehicle on a hill isn\u2019t something that crosses your mind until you\u2019re in this situation. Whether you\u2019re parking uphill or downhill, remember to always apply your parking brake BEFORE placing the gear shift into the park (P) position in an automatic vehicle. When your vehicle is secured by the parking brake, this decreases the chance of the shifter lever becoming stuck in the park position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re leaving the parked position, make sure to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you live in a state where parking on a hill is required to pass Driver\u2019s Education (Driver\u2019s Ed), we can help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parking on hills is one part of Driver\u2019s Ed that many drivers fail on the written and in-car DMV tests. The first thing you need to remember is that it\u2019s not illegal to park on a hill UNLESS there are posted signs or painted curbs that state otherwise. However, you must always make sure that your vehicle is not a hazard once it is parked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parked vehicles must be far enough away from all travel lanes to avoid interfering with traffic. Cars must also be clearly visible to other cars that are approaching from either direction. You should NOT park where other vehicles can\u2019t see your car, such as right before a curve or too close to a crest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You are responsible for knowing how to prevent your car from rolling into a traffic lane. In some states, you will receive a ticket if you don\u2019t angle your car\u2019s front wheels correctly if you\u2019re parking on a grade that is at least 3%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re parking your vehicle on a hill, you need to turn your engine off first, set the parking brake, and lock the ignition. You also need to turn the car\u2019s front wheels so your vehicle doesn\u2019t roll into traffic if the brakes fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
General Rule 1 – Turning the Wheels to the Right<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The general rule for parking on hills, whether uphill or downhill, is to turn the car\u2019s front wheels to the right. This means you must turn the wheels to the side of the road and away from all travel lanes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your vehicle begins to roll, it will often move away from the travel lane and off the road instead of in the middle of the road into traffic. Turning your wheels in the opposite direction (away from the side and toward a travel lane), if your vehicle rolls, all or part of your vehicle will roll into traffic. However, there is one exception to this general rule, which is general rule #2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n General Rule 2 – Turning the Car\u2019s Wheels to the Left<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The ONLY time your car\u2019s front wheels should be turned to the left and toward traffic is when you are parking uphill AND there is a curb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re parking uphill and there is a curb, turn your wheels to the left and away from the curb. Before you set your parking brake, allow your vehicle to roll back and hit the curb. Your vehicle should only be rolling back a few inches. The curb suffices as a second parking brake to stop your vehicle from rolling any further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should try parking on hills until you get the hang of it. Practice makes perfect! Park your vehicle uphill on a road that has a curb. Ensure you\u2019re in a safe location so you\u2019re not interfering with traffic. Turn the car\u2019s front wheels to the left, put your vehicle in neutral, and release the parking brake. If needed, you can have another person push your vehicle from the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you complete this exercise, you\u2019ll realize that when the back of the car\u2019s front wheels come into contact with the curb, your car stops and won\u2019t travel any further. If your front wheels are pointing to the curb (your wheels are facing to the right), your car\u2019s back wheels will eventually hit the curb. However, the front of your vehicle will stick out in a traffic lane, and that\u2019s not the result you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping your wheels pointed straight in front of you ensures that your vehicle will continue to roll downhill until something stops it, which is often another car, so avoid this at all costs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n There will likely come a time when you\u2019re driving and will have to park on a hill, whether it\u2019s a road, driveway, or another type of slope. Using the tips outlined in this article will help you secure your vehicle and keep everyone safe in the event your brakes fail for any reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rolling vehicles can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries to pedestrians, and destroy property. Knowing how to properly park on a hill is a skill that can save your life and the lives of others!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Parking on a hill can be intimidating. If your car\u2019s brakes fail for whatever reason, your car will roll down the hill. To prevent your vehicle from moving once it\u2019s parked, you\u2019ll need to know how to correctly park on a hill. Uphill and Downhill Parking Uphill and downhill parking are two different techniques you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>Curbs Can Stop Your Car!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n